Zenkaikon 2013: Hello from Dutch (Deutch) Country!

Yes, it really should be “Deutch” not “Dutch”. The Amish are actually German, not Dutch. Regardless, this is still Pennsylvania Dutch country in the end, so hello from Pennsylvania Dutch country, home this year to Zenkaikon. In specific we’re in the Lancaster County Convention Center and the associated Marriott hotel, which also oddly doubles as a historical site. There’s actually a historical site being restored in one corner of the bottom of the building. It’s also, appropriately, in the middle of Lancaster Pennsylvania, a place I haven’t ever been before, and I’m not sure it’s ever hosted an anime event before, so this will be a first time for a number of things.

So far, it’s a beautiful building and very well laid out for the number of people that are so far. That number being on the low side. Granted Zenkaikon in the past was never a particularly large convention, but moving from the Philadelphia area out here to Lancaster definitely seems to have had an effect on the attendance, though maybe tomorrow will be a bit better on that measure. I hope it’s not too much since we’re losing a portion of the current space, and if we get really crushed tomorrow it could potentially get very very crowded.

Big plus, free wi-fi! So hopefully there will be lots of updates this weekend. Up to this point, about 8pm, I have only managed to get to one panel “The Aging Otaku” Very interesting discussion on how to age gracefully in fandom. Very well done. Hopefully the rest of the weekend will be as good.